Noisy valve

I adjusted the valves on my '70-911. One valve on the number 4 cylinder was noisier than the others. Since then the car runs fine but that one valve seems to be making more noise than the others again.

I'm happy to adjust the valves again but I wonder if anyone has any experience with this kind of thing before I do it. I'm wondering why I did a good job on all of them except one!

Same here, gonna wait until next oil change and try again.

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Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944

If you're not successful on the next try, check the rocker AND the rocker shaft for wear (shaft out of round) --- the rocker shaft is very easy to remove.

Valve adjustment is as much art as science. I keep getting better too.

The rockers can get loose, according to my understanding, and I've heard the elephant's foot can wear and make noise too. Although this does not make much sense because at temperature the gap closes anyway.

Finally, worn valve guides can make these noises too. Some people find valve guide issues scarry. Valve guides fall into the category of things I refuse to loose sleep over. Pretty brave, huh?

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'83 SC

Allan,

Was it the #4 intake or exhaust valve? Carbon chunks can get trapped under valves, causing a wider-than-normal clearance, and a tapping noise. A compression test would tell if there is a problem! Not all valve adjustment problems are operator-induced!

And, wear at the swivel-foot can cause extra noise, and adjustment difficulties, too. Don't feel too bad if you readjust and the problem goes away, though! Intakes can be a little more difficult to adjust, with the limited space to work in. Good luck!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[This message has been edited by Early_S_Man (edited 11-23-2000).]

Adjusting valves when a piece of carbon is on the valve seat would cause a too tight adjustment, I think, not a too loose one. The carbon would move away and the valve woudl stay open. It is for this reason that I do NOT remove spark plugs (so the engine is easier to turn over) when adjusting valves. I just leave them in.

Again, I am still learning how to adjust mine, after one year and 20k miles. fortunately, the mistake I keep making is over looseness. it's prety quiet now, but just a little ticking. And my swivel feet are orig equip most likely

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'83 SC

I think at 130,000 miles I should be worried if there was no noise. As long as I can hit the redline occasionally and not leave a trail of parts behind me I'm OK. The oily smell, the noise, the balky shifter....it's all part of the fun. Drive it till it bleeds!

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Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944

What I was thinking was that maybe a chunk of carbon had gotten stuck after the valve adjustment, or a bigger one than before. Maybe time for some Techron or Swepco 503?

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

I'm with Robert. Drive it until the next oil change, then check the valves again. What happens is the valves slowly get into some mysterious spiritual harmony wiht the adjuster. Then, they get quiet and largely they stay in adjustment.

It was Albert Einstein, I think, who said "Worry is a misuse of imagination."

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'83 SC

Thanks for all the help. The engine runs better since the valve adjustments. With the air cleaner off and the stacks open I can hear the valve through the air stack on the number 4 cylinder (back right).

When I get a moment I'll drain some of the oil and jack up the right side and try to find which valve is loose. I'll let you know how it works out. I wondered if there was something not letting the feeler guage go in cleanly.

Thanks again.

If you raise the right side up far enough, you will not need to drain any oil.

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'83 SC